Columnists | The Asian Age

Former UP minister Akhilesh Yadav offers prayers on the banks of Ganga river during Kumbh Mela 2021, in Haridwar, Sunday, April 11, 2021. (PTI)

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay | ‘Hindu politics’ by Opposition is a sign of BJP’s New India

The (Hindu) Opposition leaders now mask past commitment and efforts at increasing the political representation of religious minorities

20 Apr 2021 11:55 PM

Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard near a polling booth as voters wait to cast their votes during the fifth phase of West Bengal state elections in Newtown Rajarhat, North 24 Parganas district, India, Saturday, April 17, 2021. (AP)

Sanjay Kumar | Bengal lesson: Drawbacks of a multi-phase state election

Was planning an eight-phase poll spread over a month, and during a pandemic too boot, wrong, after all?

20 Apr 2021 11:55 PM

You cannot expect to be given a position on the UN Security Council, as India does, when the world sees what you are doing with distaste. (Photo: PTI)

Aakar Patel | How the world sees India is changing… not for the better

India’s urban unemployment is at a historic high and, more important, the participation rate of India’s labour force is at a historic low

20 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Pakistan’s generals, who own and control the Taliban, want more than anything else to forcefully and completely eject all Indian presence from Afghanistan. (Photo: AFP)

Indranil Banerjie | US Afghan exit a pyrrhic victory for Pak generals?

The last time the Taliban had taken over Afghanistan, 26 years ago, India’s historical presence in Afghanistan was forced to abruptly end

20 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

For all his continued popularity, at least as shown in the opinion polls, the fact is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been at the head of an incompetent administrative response to the pandemic. (Photo: PTI)

Sanjaya Baru | Ideology or competence: What do the voters want?

Politicians are voted in and voted out for a variety of reasons, but rarely have they been voted out for incompetence

19 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his principal operative, Union home minister Amit Shah, the saffron party’s new sutra is to form a government in a state through any means. (Photo: PTI)

Anand K. Sahay | The idea behind capturing power in any kind of way: fair or foul

The BJP may or may not win the Assembly elections in Assam. But winning a poll fair and square is not the metric any longer

19 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

The Modi government likes the label of a “decisive” government, but its actions are quite to the contrary. (Photo: AFP)

Pavan K. Varma | Second wave gives the lie to Modi’s ‘decisive’ image

The second Covid wave has vividly shown the glaring gulf between image and delivery of the Modi Sarkar

18 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Women leaders belonging to the TMC have also slammed the Prime Minister, saying this was not just an insult to an elected chief minister but to all women. (Photo: AFP)

Anita Katyal | Modi’s ‘Didi’ jibe offends women; what AAP shares with Owaisi

Roadside Romeos have apparently been mimicking the Prime Minister, using the same catcall, when they see women on the streets of Kolkata

18 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Ranjona Banerji | Old sport! The story of my fitness journey

After you reach a certain age and size, in my case at least, your thoughts turn to another age and size, largely imaginary

18 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Devotees gather to offer prayers during the third 'Shahi Snan' of the Kumbh Mela 2021, at Har ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar. (Photo: PTI)

Shobhaa De | Kal Ho Na Ho: Inept govt messes up war on Covid

Dealing with Covid is a lot easier than dealing with our callous netas

17 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Farrukh Dhondy | Racism exists in Britain, but it’s not always ‘institutional’

There were two incidents in my years at Cambridge University which I could possibly label racist

17 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

The Indian Army must train police and paramilitary commandos in special operations and leadership skills at the combat levels. (Representational Photo: PTI)

Kamal Davar | Ramping security or building trust, how best to tame India’s Maoists?

With alacrity, the Centre will have to re-energise its security strategies to combat the Naxals

16 Apr 2021 12:02 AM

The electoral rallies with several lakh people that were held till very recently in Kerala, Assam and Tamil Nadu and which will continue to dominate the political horizon in West Bengal for the rest of this month. (Representational Photo: PTI)

Karan Thapar | Covid: Who’ll pay price for irresponsible netas?

The political rallies and religious snans could easily become super-spreader events. Some perhaps already have

16 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Dilip Cherian | Fresh minds in diplomacy: MEA opens to interns, sees flood of CVs

Under the new policy, MEA will take in about 60 interns every year in two batches, with each intern spending three months in the ministry

15 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

Family members mourn near the body of the deceased after clashes erupted between locals and central forces during the fourth phase of West Bengal Assembly Election in Cooch Behar. (Photo: PTI)

Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr | Bengal violence erupted as all leaders poisoned the air

What India is seeing is a generation of political leaders who are immature, who lack the poise of a leader of a national stature

15 Apr 2021 12:00 AM

K.C. Singh | India’s isolation likely to grow in the entire region

Some recent diplomatic events, many of them flowing from shifting global power equations, hold much significance for India

13 Apr 2021 11:55 PM

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Ambedkar’s way: It was education that helped him make a difference

Ambedkar’s birth anniversary is celebrated as a day to reflect upon the progress made in achieving social equity and ending oppression

13 Apr 2021 11:55 PM

Aakar Patel | It’s wrong to say Indians have right to choose faith

In 2003, under Narendra Modi, Gujarat passed a law that essentially removed all freedom of religion for Gujaratis

13 Apr 2021 1:21 AM

Is China rich or poor? The evidence suggests both. (Photo: AP)

Sunanda K. Datta-Ray | Why world can’t afford to take a chance with China

Is China a land of peace contented with its status? Or is it arrogantly determined to be the next superpower?

13 Apr 2021 1:11 AM

Is it realistic that the BJP will get 60 per cent of the 70 per cent Hindu votes in West Bengal? It would appear, as yet, difficult. (Photo: PTI)

Shikha Mukerjee | Despite Modi’s push, BJP yet to reach tipping point

The need for a saturation campaign by Modi is one way of acknowledging that Mamata is a far stronger opponent than the BJP anticipated

12 Apr 2021 12:35 AM

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